I recently had a lot of squeaking coming from my front end due to a stuck caliper piston, after deliberation and replacement by myself that noise had gone away completely.

However, I am hearing the slightest noise from the front end still when I am turning corners. (left to be exact) And I think I can hear it on the left because the hub is turned towards my head when I lean out the window to try to find the noise.

I had some friends with me who are very familiar with truck noises and the first thing they said was the last time they heard a noise like that it was a bearing needing replaced or repacked.

I'm at 52000 miles and never had ford do the 45000 mile service in which they would have repacked the bearings. Would anyone agree about this noise now? It isn't very loud at all but there is definately a squeak and now it isn't my brakes.

Thanks for the guidance.

--Justin

 

It could be a balljoint, mine started like that and got progressively worse. I had a torn boot that allowed dirt/debris to get in so I had to change it. Since newer model fords have no zirk to grease the balljoint, try greasing the balljoints with a needle zirk (you can get at autozone)

 

I had both front Lower ball joints changed because of too much play in them. neither made a noise of that nature. I did however put on Lifetime warranty NAPA Ball joints that have a grease nipple/zirk on them.

Dpostman

 

To find out what is going bad grab the top and bottom of the wheel (with the truck up on jack stands of course) and then wiggle the tire. If you are getting play with just the wheel then its a bearing, if its the wheel and knuckle then its ball joints. Also keep in mind, you have a 4x4 so your wheel bearings are not serviceable. Ford changed to the sealed bearing assembly in 97 on the 4x4s. They are much easier and cleaner to work with, but are much more expensive. They will typically run you $200-260 ea. depending where you look. Only the 2wd bearings are serviceable.

 

if you have a 4X4 then check your cv boots and see if they're torn. usually if you get a crackeling noise while turning corners it's a bad cv joint due to dirt getting in the boot through a crack or split.